By Anna Skinner
Many city favorites will be returning through the Westfield Parks and Recreation Dept. for 2016, and a few new events and some changes will accompany them.
“2016 really is a big target for finishing the planning for Grand Junction and then seeing what happens,” Director Melody Jones said.
Among the events returning are Melt the Trail 5k Run and Walk for its second year and Amigos de Westfield for its second year. Voices From the Past will also be returning, specifically targeting Indiana’s bicentennial year and the historic events associated with the state.
One of the new events coming is “Follow the Drinkin’ Gourd,” a musical based on a true story regarding the Westfield portion of the Underground Railroad. The parks department is partnering with Westfield Playhouse, and the performances will occur in June.
One large change will be that Westfield Rocks the 4th will no longer take place at Asa Bales Park, but at Grand Park.
“As quaint and comfortable as hosting it at Asa Bales Park is, we are outgrowing that space and luckily we have another park that’s bigger,” Jones said. “With the fourth being on Monday, it’s not affecting any tournaments to be in town. The fireworks display is going to be significant, it’s literally three times the size because we are not limited by shell size anymore.”
All the series favorites like Fireside Tales and Movies in the Park will still occur.
“None of these events that we are talking about could happen if wasn’t for a huge participation of community volunteers and huge financial support from our sponsors,” Jones said. “Our department is only four people and we rely heavily on other departments in city. The sheer number of people that come up and the hours they help putting these things together is just monumental.”
For more, visit enjoywestfieldevents.com.
